Thanks!
holli and i took the kids to the zoo today. mrs. ak, her two children and mina, the mother of all, met us there. we did all the usual zoo stuff: rode the train, saw the animals, hunted for diet coke, nearly puked walking out of the stinky snake building. hannah and her new best friend explained it best:
ben and i had a family day today. we finally made it over to cafe niche for brunch. i’ve been hearing good things and it’s relatively close to my house, so we went. the food was much to my liking and only half to ben’s liking. the reason? they served salad with his eggs. when i asked him what the big deal was he said, “i like the idea of salad, but it’s too much work–keeping it on your fork and all.” it’s moments like that i realize there is no denying we are brother and sister.
afterwards we met aimee and lo at the 337 project since i hadn’t been yet. i was waiting for a photographer friend of mine to have time, but sadly that didn’t work out. (anyone out there who took professional-ish shots that want to share, by all means…) i’d seen some photos online and was really hoping to have a couple done i could frame for my place. it’s summer, i need to revamp my walls.
oddly, all my favorite rooms were the bathrooms, like these:
i want my money back. i did not leave happy, because today, i am less one brother.
this morning i had breakfast with my parents, ben and chady-bear. after breakfast my parent’s took chady to the mtc. i wasn’t successful in talking him out of going on a mission. he’s stubborn, just like a true nielson.
on the drive to provo i pointed out to ben our parents must love him more, because his last meal was held somewhere much better. he pointed out our parents love both he and chady more, because they’ve never sent me on a two year vacation. ben sucks.
i hope chady-bear knows how much i love him. i went to church for him! his talk warmed my heart, not for the spiritual content but the comedic content. my baby brother is funny! who knew?
my mom is the choir director so she was on the stand (what do they actually call that?) as was chad. the rest of our family was on the back row, which says a lot about us. ben and i sat there for the escape factor. our plan was to secure seating and then leave to get drinks, making it back in time just for chad’s talk. but, jesus was onto us– the program listed the speakers but not the order. we were stuck. the gas station is 7 minutes from the church and we didn’t dare risk it. again, that’s how much i love chady, i stayed for the ENTIRE church meeting!
my brothers are as evil as i am. we knew chady had his cell phone in his pocket… so we they called it, over and over–each time seeing his face get redder and redder. only stopping momentarily to let hannah leave him a voicemail telling him to hurry because she needed a diet coke. (the funny thing, is i had nothing to do with that part.)
i lost interest and agreed to read a book to little hula, my brother’s step-daughter. she had a children’s anatomy book my mom gave her. did i mention she’s 3? it was awkward reading the page containing scrotum and vagina to her at church, but i persevered.
until this point, my sister-in-law holli was listening to the speakers and taking no part in our poor behavior. but, then she whipped a card out of her purse and handed it to me, “this is a thank you for watching the kids last week.” it was a starbucks gift card. yup, holli pretty much gave me coffee at a mormon church. she is now one of us… for better or for worse.
i’m now an orphan. or i will be when i see my parents next and my mother fires me from being her daughter. we had family pictures this morning and i didn’t make it. i was sick. i swear every time i watch the twins i get sick. and you know what? it’s worth it.
chady-bear has his mission farewell tomorrow, which means i have to go to church. and i really, really hate church. do you think it’s possible the mormon jesus made me sick on purpose, just to keep me out of his church? okay, i swear no more cold medicine–at least this time i took the right pills.
I’m in Utah County tonight watching the twins, while my brother and favorite sister-in-law are away on business. It’s almost 1 AM which is way, way past my bedtime. Yet here I sit on their bed typing while listening to Carter cough. I’ve given him medicine, but I couldn’t possibly attempt sleep until he’s resting peacefully. This doesn’t necessarily make me a good person (because after this week, I’m so clearly not one). It’s what happens when you love someone beside yourself… something I’m told I don’t do often. To you I say whatever.
I love these kids. I love them like I never thought I could love someone so short. (I’ve got height issues–get over it.) I remember driving to the hospital to see them for the first time. I’d been around kids enough to know they poop and scream way too much. I was prepared to hold the babies, and lie through my teeth about how cute they are. When in reality they’d likely look like a cross between an alien and a plucked chicken. However, I wasn’t prepared to hold them and say they were the most beautiful babies I’d ever seen, and actually mean it. And I still mean it–even today, after Hannah spit in my Diet Coke.
Family is family, and you love them even when you don’t really like them. There’s never been a moment in the past 3+ years where I didn’t like these two, and frankly I don’t ever see that happening. Unless of course, Hannah continues to spit in my Diet Coke through her teen years. At that point, we might run into a problem.
“itsy bitsy candlestick climbed up the mountain snow.”
happy mother’s day, mommy! i just want to take a moment to remind you i’m your favorite child. sometimes i know it’s a competition between ben and i, but after reading the below story i’m positive you’ll reward me with the best child title.
last night banjo ben, scott and i went to a party at ak’s house. on the way home scott was telling ben about the bi-sexual woman who spend 15 minutes in the bathroom with her date’s ex-wife, both walking out in a very good mood. (scott will insist i point out both women were “smokin”.)
ben was in total disbelief he missed such a pivotal moment in the evening, so it couldn’t possibly be true by his reasoning. when i told him it really had happened, he grabbed his phone and started dialing, “i’m just going to check…”
oh, and mom… ben opened bottles with his teeth last night. so that makes me a better child too. i’m responsible about my dental bills. how could you not appreciate that?
one day i’ll attend a family wedding with a man date. last night i took my best friend jen as my date–she’s pretty hot for a man. we’ve been friends for 15 years making my family sorta her family, without the guilt. lucky bitch. the event went off without a hitch (no pun intended, okay, well maybe a little), despite all my complaining about the hideous bridesmaid dresses. i’m really hoping the honeymooners don’t have an internet connection, otherwise that george forman grill won’t be heading my way, and man do i want one! ben and i scoped out the gifts and i called shotgun on any grill and/or pink stuff. ben called shotgun on one of the bridesmaids, but will request she wear anything but that dress on their date.
it was good to see my extended family. i don’t see my mother’s side of the family all too often. someone has to die or marry for us to get together. last night felt a little like both. thank god for cheap boxed wine. seriously.
i didn’t post very many pics, but to see the ones i did click here. i should have snapped a pic of the ugly dresses, but it didn’t seem fair to the bridesmaids who didn’t quit the wedding. saps.
tonight was my brother jeff’s wedding. it was pretty and all, but hannah stole the show. twice. the first time was in the middle of the ceremony she got up and walked over to where ben was and said, “i love you ben!” the second was when she asked her dad to give me a super wedgie.